Hyundai Motor on Friday officially introduced its electric vehicle brand Ioniq to the Chinese market, marking a renewed push by the South Korean automaker to regain ground in the world’s largest electric vehicle market.
The company unveiled the Ioniq brand in China alongside the global debut of two concept vehicles, the Venus Concept and Earth Concept, ahead of the 2026 Beijing Auto Show.
Hyundai said the launch represents a milestone in its electrification strategy in China and forms part of its “In China, For China, To Global” approach.
“The introduction of the Ioniq brand is a milestone for Hyundai’s comprehensive electrification rollout in China, and symbolizes its further implementation of the ‘In China, For China, To Global’ strategy,” the automaker said in a statement.
Hyundai said it will move away from simply replicating global standards in China and instead rely more heavily on local technology, design and talent to tailor products for Chinese consumers.
The two concept cars were developed under the direction of Hyundai’s China design center and preview styling for future production vehicles in the market.
The Venus Concept is an all-electric sedan, while the Earth Concept is a battery-electric SUV aimed at family-oriented buyers.
Hyundai said it plans to create an “Ioniq Universe” ecosystem in China, under which future China-market models will be named after planets in the solar system.
The company is also integrating local intelligent driving technology into future vehicles through a partnership with Chinese autonomous driving startup Momenta and plans to add extended-range electric vehicle technology to its lineup.
Hyundai said the first mass-production Ioniq model developed specifically for China will debut at the Beijing Auto Show later this month.
Over the next three years, the automaker plans to launch a range of battery-electric and extended-range models in mid- to large-size SUV and coupe segments in China as it seeks to rebuild market share.
